Discussion

Boston 'Hound in Ireland

I'm coming over to Ireland with my parents and my brother for a week of travel around Southwest Ireland. Sadly, I won't make it to Dublin...That said, I'm wondering if there are any places for lunch/dinner around Dingle, Cork, Tralee, Kinsale, etc. that we just HAVE to try. Pub suggestions are welcome, too.

I would be inclined to give Tralee a skip on culinary grounds...but I may be wrong! Kenmare in Kerry has lots of great restaurants - Packie's, Mulcahy's & the Horseshoe are a few. In Kinsale Cafe Blue beside the Blue Haven Hotel is a good spot for breakfast or lunch, and Fishy Fishy Cafe, which is outside the town is supposed to be great for fish fans. In and around Cork, Cafe Paradiso is great, but depends on whether your family will brave a vegetarian meal. The Farmgate Cafes in the English Market and in Midleton are really good, the one in Midleton does dinner as well as lunch I think...

The restaurant at The Trident, in Kinsale was fabulous, when I stayed there (in 2001).. I think it's called the Savannah.. also The Spinnaker does (or did) a great seafood platter, with lots of local stuff.. and an insane beef and Guiness pie with mooshy peas.

Cork City is a treasure-trove of great restaurants. Here are a handful you could try

Kinsale (West Cork) - Fishy, Fishy (which has just won a prestigious award for the best seafood restaurant in Ireland)

Timoleague (West Cork) - Casino House (modern Irish)

Durras (West Cork) - Blairs Cove Restaurant (you can stay here too and I would highly recommend that you do so), and Good Things Café.

Cork City - Café Paradiso (gourmet vegetarian food), Les Gourmandises (French), Jacobs on the Mall (modern Irish), as Irish girl says the English Market is great, and the Farmgate Cafés are both terrific for reasonably priced, traditional Irish food. Pub-wise, I'd suggest the Corner House (music on Monday evenings with the Lee Valley String Band) on Coburg Street, or Tom Barry's on Barrack Street.

Shanagarry (East Cork) - Ballymaloe House (modern Irish)

Mallow (North Cork) - Longueville House

In Dingle you should try Out of the Blue for great seafood, Forde pub for terrific lunches, Dick Mac's for a pint in a half-pub-half-cobbler (very charming). The Chart House is a great restaurant for an evening meal.

I was in Kenmare a couple of weeks ago and had a great cheap and cheerful Italian meal in Prago, the Lime Tree is good too, and Packies has a brilliant reputation. If you are looking for somewhere to stay in Kenmare, I would recommend 'Shelbourne Lodge', it is such a haven of peace, log fires, books and original artwork. They do great breakfasts too (the owners used to run Packies), they have a big herb garden out the back so everything is wonderfully fresh.

Hope this helps you . . . you'll need to come for a month to pack all that in.

Wow, brilliant report Voluptua! I did make Dublin, The North and parts of Clare, Kerry & Limerick last year but sadly not Cork, Kinsale & Kenmare. I will be bookmarking this for my next sojourn and that can't be too soon.All the best, Harp00n

I know this is an old thread,but wanted to update our finds, on a recent road trip through the southwest of ireland.Firstly had a delicious lunch at farmgate, in Midleton, on the N25 road between Waterford and Cork.Its is full of great home made treats and deli goods, I had the smoke salmon sandwich and a local cheese plate, my wife had grilled vegetable paninni.Cakes and scones looked great.Another place was Jam in Kinemare, also in Killarney, great for tea and scones or lunch.Dinner at Fishy Fishy in Kinsale was amazing, highly recommended, as was Chapter fourty in Killarney. The latter is a modern place with excellent huge dishes, I had seabass and my wife had the pasta.Great service too. HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE.

Voluptua's picks are top notch, i agree with every one - Longueville is my personal fav: pork and lamb and air cured ham from the farm, apple brandy and fruit liquers made by themselves. Even smoke their own salmon from the Blackwater!